The childlike sense of wonder that the Golem has juxtaposes with its violent purpose and destruction, causing the reader to see it as more than just a murderous, unfeeling machine. Wisniewski portrays the Golem in a much more sympathetic light than other retellings do, focusing on its feelings as it experiences the world for the first time. The detail on each page will grab the reader’s attention and make him linger on each page in order to absorb the supernatural quality of each illustration. The use of cut-paper adds drama to the artwork and allows for interplay between dark and light, which echoes the tone of the story. Rabbi Loew is satisfied that his people will be protected, so he returns the Golem to clay, but the Golem could be reawakened if the Jewish people are threatened again.Įvaluation: There were two great strengths of the novel: the rich, captivating cut-paper illustrations and the tender humanization of the Golem. A mob tries to attack the Jewish ghetto and the Golem destroys it, striking fear into the hearts of the emperor, who promises safety for the Jews if the monster is destroyed. The Golem finds himself enchanted with life and the world around him, but his only purpose is to fight the enemies of the Jews. Rabbi Loew had a dream telling him how to create the Golem and how it could protect his people. Jews were being persecuted, being accused of using the blood of Christian children to bake their bread, and these lies were inciting violence against them. Summary: The story of the Golem takes place in Prague in 1580. Readers annotation: When the Jewish people are threatened with violence, the only thing that can stop them is the terrible Golem. Although SLJ spoke positively of this book, it compared it to another Caldecott book on the same subject, saying, “while the plot is stronger Wisniewski’s text lacks the power and child appeal of McDermott’s spare, well-crafted tale”. Kirkus mentions the added layer of depth that Wisniewski gives to his Golem that is reminiscent of Shelley’s treatment of her monster. Publisher’s Weekly likens this effect to an eerie puppet show. Reviews: Booklist, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly all gave this title favorable reviews, most often citing the beauty of the illustrations and their ability to set a stark and dramatic effect of the cut-paper artwork. More information can be found at the HarperCollins website. Once he and his wife had children, traveling with the puppet show became impossible and he turned his artistic talents to writing and illustrating children’s books. When he was older, he joined the circus as a clown and met his wife when she hired him to perform in a puppet theater. When he was young, his mother taught him how to draw, which instilled in him a lifelong love of art. Author information: David Wisniewski (1953-2002) wrote and illustrated many children’s books using his cut-paper method.

Golem wisniewski